The National, Abu Dhabi's first English-language publication, recently reported on a McKinsey Global Institute report that said that global obesity has reached a new peak. Global obesity now has a cost of $2 trillion annually. This costs almost as much as smoking. To put that in another perspective, global obesity has a 2.8% impact on the gross domestic product of the world. This is not just a product of richer countries either. In fact, 15 percent of all healthcare costs in third-world countries had a direct relationship to obesity. The reports estimates that overweight and obesity levels might reach up to 50% by 2030 if we continue our ways.

As the founder of ALNOWAIS Investments, whose holdings include Pharmatrade, Hussain Al Nowais of Abu Dhabi understands the importance of controlling the global obesity epidemic to reduce costs and help everyone live happier and more healthy. Pharmatrade specializes in medical supplies, hospital equipment and consumer health products. Although there isn't an agreed-upon global solution, there are some things households can do on the individual level. Here are some things he suggests to keep in mind:

Get Up from the Chair: Sitting is the new smoking in many health circles. Health professionals warn that an increase in time sitting affects mortality rate, no matter how much you exercise. For every hour you sit, make sure to take a few minutes to get up, stretch and move around.

Increase the Greens: If you're looking for the most nutritional bang for your buck, go green. Kale, spinach, collard greens, beet and turnip greens, Swiss chard and romaine lettuce are just some of the options out there. Put them in a salad, in a smoothie or just eat them raw.

Use Wearable Technology to Motivate You: Apple might have announced the iWatch earlier this season, but there are a number of options out there already to help you boost your fitness levels. FitBit, Misfit, Jawbone and Garmin are some of the bigger brands out there. Each will track the number of steps you take, the amount of sleep you have and your caloric output.